Forever, I'll love you
by TyyTyy
Summary: Sasu/Saku- Somethings not right. Sakura is presumed dead, but she's very much alive and somehow talked into pretending to be herself? Meeting Sasuke again under such strange circumstances could either go extremely well, or horribly bad. What will this fated reunion lead to?
1. Chapter One

**Forever, I'll Love You**

 **.**

* * *

 _Chapter One-_

 _._

Today certainly wasn't the greatest for a certain pink haired kunoichi. Her name was Sakura Haruno and she was a woman of many talents. Most people however knew her by her monster strength and her healing hands. Lately though, she was earning herself a new title, one that she wasn't rather fond of.

It wasn't like it was her fault or anything. It all started about three months prior, when Tsunade, the woman who had taught her everything she knew- and the former Hokage of her entire village set her up for a new mission she was almost positive would end up killing her. Though she was talented it seemed, in anything she did, her new lifestyle was changing her more and more by the day.

She was working for two different villages now, her own and Suna. It was as if she was a double agent and most of the time her work consisted of spying, or pretending to be someone she wasn't so that she could close enough to a target to ultimately take he or she out. It saddened her when she thought of it, because she was no longer the happy-go-lucky girl she had always been growing up. Though she had been through a lot considering her first and only love had crushed her completely again and again over time.

Sakura had finally given up on him and did as best she could to move on with her life. She'd worked as hard as possible in her career to become what she was now, but at the same time, she'd never expected to be promoted to special ops. Needless to say, she was never at the hospital anymore, unless there was an urgent need for her and she couldn't even remember the last time she'd stepped foot into her own home. She was more of a wanderer now. She always had to be on the go... There was always someone else to find and most of the time, there were ninja who pursued her, though never to any avail.

Almost all of her days blended together, same old stuff- search and destroy, drink and pass out. Today was different though, even from the moment she woke up. Sakura was one woman with a keen eye. Even if she was staggering drunk before going to sleep, which she was most of these days now, she would always remember exactly how she'd left things. This morning when she'd awoken, the first thing she noticed is that someone had been in the apartment she was staying in. She had only been there for two nights, her usual stay somewhere when she had as many jobs to complete in the area as she did this one. But, she never expected someone to find her here; she was always careful.

She had been scolding herself all day long for obviously not being careful enough, because as if it wasn't enough that she could sense that someone had been there, they left a little souvenir, as if to be sure she knew they were there. It wasn't much she supposed, but she knew it was some type of warning. Why else would someone skilled enough to just casually come into her apartment without waking her, leave behind such and exotic and expensive lingerie set, hanging on the door.

All day long, she kept asking herself ' _what the hell..._ ' Who could it have been and why? If they wanted to hurt her, couldn't they have gotten it over with while she was sleeping? She could only suppose they wanted to scare her... make her paranoid. Well they would have a damn hard time of that, the only thing they had managed to do was getting her blood boiling. She was mad. She was beyond mad. So mad she'd had to go off into the woods just to take some of her steam out on the beautiful trees, which now she felt guilt for.

Her depression had only worsened by that night as she'd found herself a local tavern, hoping to have a drink and relax; only to find two of her five local targets treating themselves to a fun time together. She hadn't expected them to know each other and now instead of being able to relax, she was in work mode. She mentally went over everything she knew about the two, both high ranking rouge ninja, one was huge and rather mean looking, with reddish hair, the other was slim and white headed, though surely not from his age. Sakura recognized the long, large blade posted up next to him, she knew he was dangerous, but she didn't have any information on the other guy. Either way, she wasn't doubting her ability to take them both on, even at the same time.

This was a golden opportunity and she wasn't about to let it slip through her fingers. She'd taken several drinks to calm her nerves, it was the only thing that helped anymore. Then she made her way over to the two men, who were among a few others even though they seemed to be keeping mostly to themselves.

"Hi," Sakura smiled seductively at the two, greeting them as soon as she'd arrived at their booth.

The two men stared at the beauty before them, captivated by her very presence. Her eyes were big and as green as emeralds and her pink hair was long and braided tightly all the way down. She was dressed in a small and revealing red dress. Everything about the girl was alluring, so much so that neither of the men could even respond to her greeting.

"Mind if I join? It's kind of lonely drinking by myself." She batted her lashes and waited, though only for a second before the big guy slid out from the booth and gestured for her to sit, which she did, sliding over close to the slimmer guy, giving the other on room to join them. "Thanks!" She giggled girlishly, looking back and forth from one to the other.

"So, what's a cutie like you doing in a place like this?" The white-haired guy asked, grinning at her like she was a million bucks.

Forcing herself not to roll her eyes, she answered quickly. "I was so bored and I just needed a drink!"

"Here," The red head offered her some Sake that a waitress had just delivered. Sakura took it, thanking him as she did, then she drained her glass.

They seemed surprised by the way she drank, as did everyone she did this to. It was easy for her with her healing abilities to flush alcohol right out of her system, so she only ever got a drunk as she wanted to be, while everyone else trying to keep up easily got left in the dust. It was only a couple hours into their drinking together that both of the men were to their limit and they didn't have to tell her for her to know.

"I swear... I know you from somewhere..." The white-haired man, called Sui by his friend, said for the umpteenth time of the night.

"It's the pink hair and the green eyes... _She_ had the same qualities." The redhead, Juugo answered thoughtfully. Sakura listened carefully, wondering who _she_ was.

"Ah, Sakura wasn't it?" Sui seemed to remember suddenly and Sakura went cold at the sound of her name. How would they possibly know her?

"Yes, though this couldn't be her, so we don't have to worry..."

"Right you are," Sui seemed suddenly enthusiastic. "Anyway, want you come home with us, Cherry?

"Really, you don't mind?" Sakura asked happily, she was ready to get there and carry out her mission and be done.

"What kind of question is that? Juugo, let's get going!"

On the long walk, Sakura spent more time thinking to herself than she did talking to them. She wondered why if they knew her true identity, would they think she couldn't be herself. It didn't make any sense. She hadn't decided yet if she would question them on the matter at all, but if she did, it would be just before she carried out the second part of her two-phase mission. Destroy.

"Okay, let's say he did see her, it wouldn't matter. Just because she looks like Sakura doesn't mean he will give a damn. He doesn't care about anything. Hell, he doesn't come out of his fucking cave anyway. He's the last person I'm worried about running into."

Cursing herself for missing whatever part of that conversation she had, Sakura timidly walked up to Sui and grabbed his arm. "What are you talking about exactly?"

"Oh nothing, you just favor some girl our leader had the hots for." He chuckled, laughing it off casually. Sakura blinked at him in confusion.

"This... Sakura you speak of?" She asked carefully.

He nodded once, his face sobering momentarily. "Yes, but she was killed, some years ago..."

' _What?!'_ Sakura didn't understand why anyone would think that. She certainly had never died and her village wasn't keeping her life a secret either so she couldn't understand how someone could be under the impression that she was killed, but at the same time, she wasn't about to be correcting them.

"That's so sad... and he really liked her, huh?" She pouted meaningfully, curious to know who the man was they spoke of as their leader.

"Well it was a little more complicated than that... In a way, even though we'd never known it, I think she was very special to him. Because since her death, he hasn't been the same."

"Yes, that's right. It had taken a lot for him to recover himself but he did, all for her. Just when he'd turned himself around, he heard the news of her death and ever since..."

As Sakura listened to their words, and she couldn't help becoming more and more curious as to who the man was. She had never been that special to anyone before. Nobody truly loved her. Sure, there were many men who desired her, but not just to love her, which is why she steered clear of all that. Even now in her twenty-third year of life, she had still never lost her virginity.

She certainly had no intentions on doing so. There wasn't a man in the world that she could want anymore. She had been hurt enough by that one. She never wanted to go through that again and because of those feelings, she couldn't help feeling sorry for whomever it was thinking that she was dead, especially if she had apparently meant so much to him. But how could she have? How would he have known her? Who could he be? She just had to know, or it would kill her.

"Hey you know, we could get Cherry here to pretend to be Sakura and go to him. I'm sure she would fall for him either way, just as every woman does."

"Are you crazy?" Sui snapped. "If he found out, we would be dead as fuck."

"But, if he doesn't find out..." Sakura was surprisingly the one who spoke up, taking this sudden chance. She just felt like she had to do this.

"You got to be kidding me? You'd be willing to impersonate another woman just to make our lives easier?"

"Why not?... I... don't have anywhere else to go... I can be Sakura. I look like her right?"

They both nodded thoughtfully. "Identical, though I don't think she ever braided her hair and I think it was short... But, I'm sure the length doesn't matter."

"Well you said it had been years..." Sakura trailed off, knowing full well the timing would be perfect with her length... because she was the real her. She almost found this amusing as she mulled over these thoughts in her head.

"Right, well I'm down then." Sui said with a grin.

"Oh my, our lord is going to be a new man." Juugo was ecstatic.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Sakura giggled.

"Right, follow me Sakura." Sui winked at her and she rolled her eyes as they all started walking again.

It was outside of a hidden village not far from the sand. It was obviously a hideout they were going to, which wasn't a surprise to Sakura considering they were shinobi. The two men had come up with a plan that Sakura would play as if she was herself, but with lost memories, and the two of them had found her just wandering around somewhere. Sakura, being intoxicated and interested, didn't care as long as she got to meet this guy and see how he reacted to seeing her.

"Come here, let's make it look more real." Sui suggested, lifting Sakura into his arms. "Look scared, and fragile... It will really do him in!"

Doing as they asked, Sakura didn't even object to being held by the weird guy with the white hair. They entered an underground hideout, hidden behind a waterfall and their pace quickened once inside. They ran, and ran with Sakura until they were inside the deepest part of the hideout, where they came upon a door. Sakura could see why they would have referred to it as a cave. It was nothing but.

"Open up!" Sui yelled as he banged relentlessly on the door with his foot, while holding Sakura close to his body.

"What?!" A deep voice yelled, the exact moment the door before them was swung open. Not having to fake nervousness, Sakura timidly looked over to meet the face of the man who had supposedly thought so much of her, only to find none other than Sasuke Uchiha, the very man who had destroyed her, because he never gave a damn. It couldn't be him... She never meant anything to him, and he proved that to her time and time again. Overwhelmed with shock, the pink haired kunoichi fainted right there in Suigetsu's arms.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter Two

**Forever, I'll Love You**

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* * *

 _Chapter Two_

 _._

When Sakura awoke next, her heart was pounding instantly. She sat up, looking around frantically. Sasuke was somewhere, she'd been hand delivered straight to his door. She felt an adrenaline coursing through her body like never before as she thought over everything in one minute. Nothing was adding up. It didn't make sense for Sasuke to think she was dead and even if she had been, why would he care anything about her? He never had before.

"You don't need to be afraid." Sasuke told her, appearing from nowhere.

With a gasp, Sakura regarded him with wide eyes. He'd grown. He was more beautiful than he ever had been, but his eyes didn't seem to be as distant as they once were, not with the way he looked at her.

"Suigetsu told me everything," He went on to explain. "So, you may not know who I am, but I thought you were dead. It's hard to believe you're actually here right now but I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. You don't need to remember. I'll take care of you. Stay here with me, as long as you will."

Sakura was speechless. She didn't know what to think. This was really Sasuke, but it wasn't the evil, dark bastard she'd known before. He acted as if he truly did care about her. She looked away from him with a sigh. She wasn't supposed to remember anything though, and that would prove to be difficult. But, she couldn't blow her cover when it came to those two guys. She still had a mission to complete.

"What are you thinking? Are you hurt, is there anything you need?" The girl glanced at him, a thousand emotions storming through her mind.

"Water."

With a nod, Sasuke turned and left the room, leaving her behind and she was grateful, for that gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. What would she do here, with Sasuke, and with him acting like he cared about her- like she meant something to him. That old wound he'd inflicted was feeling terribly close to reopening. She'd thought she'd left this part of her behind, a long time ago. But now that she had to face him again, she also had to face all of those old feelings.

Sasuke was back with her water in only a few moments, she drank it greedily. She had been thirsty after all the alcohol she'd consumed earlier that night. It must have been early morning by then, but she couldn't have been sure. Sasuke sat next to her then, on a bed she realized was surprisingly comfortable to be in such a dark hole. The room itself was rather gloomy, but she didn't expect anything more coming from Sasuke. His weight only shifted the mattress slightly but the way her heart swelled when he grasped her hand in his was enough to make her throat dry up once more.

She blushed, unable to help herself. She probably should be asking questions, hell she wasn't supposed to know anything about him and she didn't really know how she'd go about keeping the act up, especially when the real her wanted to question him so desperately.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha." He spoke, his words making the girl raise a brow in his direction. "A long time ago, we were teammates and comrades."

Sakura regarded him with interest, urging him to go on with her eyes alone. She wanted to know what all he was willing to tell her, and even what he would try to keep secret.

"A lot happened, and we went separate ways for a long time." He averted his eyes before continuing, as if what he was going to say bothered him to some extent. "I was in a bad place, forgetting everybody and everything except for hatred and revenge. I hurt you, more than once. And by the time I realized how wrong I was, it was too late to change. I found out you were dead, only you never were. You might not remember all that we went through together, or how things were, but I want to fix all that anyway. I want to atone for everything I did in the past. You may not be able to understand… I didn't for the longest time. But, you mean a lot to me and if you will let me, I'd like to protect you and work to obtain your trust, for as long as you'll allow me to."

"Okay." The girl whispered, too much in shock to say anything else, but feeling as if she had to say something.

Sasuke exhaled deeply, seeming as if a great relief had washed over him. He squeezed her hand which he was still holding and gave her the briefest but most gorgeous and genuine smile she'd ever seen and she knew, just like that- she was falling in love with him all over again.

"You should get some rest, I know you must be exhausted after all you've endured." Sasuke stood, but Sakura held tight to his hand, with no intention of letting him go. He looked to her curiously. He assumed she'd want to sleep.

"Stay." She told him, wanting just that, but also wanting to see how far he was willing to go for her.

Her heart skipped a beat when he got back in bed, this time laying down beside her. He even so much as wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him and turning them so that they laid facing each other. With his face buried against her chest, she could do little but try and will her heart to slow.

Who was this man...?

...

It was late the next afternoon before Sakura was up and out of bed. Though she hadn't gone to sleep alone, that's how she'd woken up. In her disappointment, she got up and was pleasantly surprised to find a bathroom in the dark cave-like room. She was filthy and she didn't have a single belonging on her. Everything she had was left behind, including all her clothes.

Unable to dread on that, she helped herself to a shower. It definitely wasn't the cleanest or nicest of places, but Sakura didn't really feel uncomfortable. She washed quickly, but thoroughly and got out. She dried off with a towel hanging nearby and it smelled like Sasuke. Like sandalwood, earth, and the soap that he used. It was a heady mixture that Sakura loved and welcomed.

The door burst open, Sakura barely having enough time to wrap the towel around herself before the intruder was before her. It was Sasuke, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her and he turned his back to her even quicker than he'd barged in.

"Forgive me. When I didn't see you, I got worried. I didn't mean to walk in on you."

He left after his explanation and Sakura smiled after him. A sudden thought had her hurrying after him, the towel securely around her body. He was just standing in the room, arms crossed over his chest. He turned back to gaze at her, an unfamiliar look crossing his features as he regarded her.

"Um... D-do you have any clean clothes I could put on while I wash mine?"

Her words calmed his rising panic and he walked towards a small set of drawers. He pulled out a black shirt that had the Uchiha symbol on the back and handed it to her along with a pair of his very own undershorts. With a vicious blush, the girl took the clothes he offered her and retreated to the bathroom to dress.

His clothes felt amazing on her and a part of her never wanted to take them off. She went back into the room where he was, dirty clothes in hand. She had to get them cleaned because she couldn't parade around as she was dressed now.

"I'll take them, you should stay in here. I'll bring you food back."

"Okay." Sakura reluctantly handed over her clothes and watched him leave.

It was still hard to believe she was actually here with Sasuke right now and he acted like a totally new man. Sakura wasn't sure what exactly had changed him but she felt as if her presence made a good impact on him, she might never be able to leave him. It didn't matter how much he'd hurt her in the past, or how long she went without him. She would always love him.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter Three

**Forever, I'll Love You**

 **.**

* * *

 _Chapter Three_

 _._

When the major dilemma of Sakura's mission crossed her mind, she quickly shook all thoughts aside. During her first week with Sasuke she'd made numerous excuses for herself and she was thinking about it less and less. It wasn't like this was a mission with a set time, she hadn't even been looking for those two in particular. She was very ahead of schedule when it came to the jobs she'd been given, so if she wanted to take a little breather, she was sure she wouldn't get any heat from home.

Sakura hadn't imagined that Sasuke would be moved so deeply over her 'death' and this new side of him was something she wasn't used to at all. He was always kind. Never rude or even arrogant like he always had been in the past. He'd used her memory loss to his advantage in more ways than one, but Sakura wouldn't complain about it. He had changed and he wanted to be nice to her, he went out of his way every day just to prove that to her. If she truly had lost her memories, she would have never suspected he was ever the way he once was.

She was enjoying this far too much. It was too unrealistic. She shouldn't be doing this, letting him get so close to her again. If she let him in, nothing good would come of it. After all, she wasn't the same person she once was either. Though sometimes, when she was with Sasuke, she felt like she could be.

Most of the time, he preferred to keep her secluded in his room and due to the circumstances, Sakura never argued. However, she did show her pleasure when he did allow her to wander out with him, rather it be for a short walk outside or to eat with his teammates… and her targets.

It was bittersweet for Sakura because it didn't take long for her to start liking Juugo, he was a rather sweet guy. Suigetsu though, she didn't care for. Sometimes he still looked at her suggestively and it bothered her. She was sure it was because of Sasuke that he drew a line on his actions though, but to Suigetsu, she was just a girl pretending to be Sakura. This was a secret she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep forever.

…

Today, Sakura had been privileged with an early walk with Sasuke. They wandered around the nearby forest slowly. He walked so close next to her. She could smell him easily and it was an intoxicating scent, one she could never get enough of. She hadn't spoken during their walk, she never really knew what to say, unless he spoke to her first. A lot of times, he would and most of the time, it wasn't too hard to keep up a normal conversation, though they were never as deep as their first talk. He'd truly opened up to her then. He hadn't shut himself off, far from it, but he chose to stray from the deep and dark. He kept things light and happy and it was so new and amazing that Sakura didn't know how to feel about it.

"Sakura?" He called her name, making her realize just how deep in thought she'd been.

She turned to look at him, stopping in her tracks. Her bright green eyes locked on him and she blinked rapidly while silently cursing herself for her loose thoughts. He was giving her an unusual look, one that was curious and somewhat confused. She blushed madly when he continued to stare at her but said nothing else.

"U-Um…"

"I've decided to take you away from here." He said calmly with a certainty that chilled her to her bones. The words came out as if he'd thought about them more than once and she swallowed hard before responding.

"Take… me away?" Head tilting to the side, she regarded him questioningly.

The raven-haired boy nodded confidently. "Yes. This is no place for a lady."

Feeling as if her heart might burst, Sakura clutched at her chest with a gasp. "B-but… What about Karin?"

Sasuke's left brow perked up at that but after a second he just jabbed her in the forehead. "Idiot, don't be annoying."

He turned back in the direction of the hideout and Sakura stood stock-still, gazing after him for a moment. That little comment brought back so many memories, good and bad. But what it brought back the most was the unfathomable amount of love she had for that boy. Kami, she loved him to death.

Excitedly, she ran to catch up with him, wrapping both her arms around his right. There wasn't the slightest flinch in his movements and he only gave her one soft glance before looking ahead of them. He was ready to move on with his life. Now that he had Sakura and she was okay, he could do that.

Sakura just wasn't sure she prepared for whatever Sasuke had in mind. She knew he wanted her. Emotionally. But, what would she do if he wanted more of her? Could she deny him? She doubted it. Especially with him being the new man he was. He made her feel so good, loved even, and they were nothing but friends.

There was a time when she would have jumped at the opportunity to be with him, but now it just didn't seem possible. She couldn't betray her village. Not killing him was bad enough, a betrayal of its own, but to run away with him forever… She just couldn't. Her conscience wouldn't allow it. But still, her heart would fight for that man. It always had.

Sasuke had planned for them to make the move the next day. Him announcing that his entire team would be left behind was a bit of a shock though, and Sakura couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. What would she do with Sasuke, completely alone? Did he intend for them to start a life together? The mere thought had her a nervous wreck. She might enjoy being with him, but she wasn't ready for anything else, she wasn't looking for that anymore. She never expected that Sasuke would be.

That night, he got into bed with her after speaking with the guys and she faced him, curling close to his body. He was warm and smelled great as always. His chin rested against the top of her head and his arms wound around her much as they did every night. Nothing had ever felt more right and yet so… wrong.

It could have been the guilt that Sakura felt, and she did indeed feel guilty. Hiding her memories from Sasuke, pretending she wasn't herself when it came to his male teammates. Ignoring her missions with one lame excuse after the other. The guilt seemed to weigh heavier and heavier on her every time she thought about it, and though she tried not to, she couldn't help but think about it. She felt wrong for everything and she wasn't sure how much longer her conscience would hold out before she lost it.

"You will feel better once we're in a better place." Sasuke told her, his voice quiet and thoughtful. Sometimes it felt like he was reading her mind. Almost.

"Where will we go?" She asked carefully, her voice equally as quiet as his.

"It won't be too far. It's another hideout of mine, though it's close to a civilian village and not entirely underground. This place isn't meant for long-term living and it's not a place I feel comfortable with you staying. I want you comfortable and safe. The other place is cleaner and better equipped for daily living. There you could cook if you wanted. There's a full kitchen, real bedrooms and places close by for anything we may ever need."

Sasuke sounded really hopeful about this move and Sakura didn't want to spoil that happiness. She could look forward to it, she just knew there was a certain point when she'd have to draw a line. "That sounds so nice. I can't wait to see it."

She yawned then and Sasuke settled in the bed, his breath coming out softly across her forehead. "Get some sleep, we will leave early."

"Okay." She whispered, a happy smile on her face, one that remained in place even after she'd slipped into dreamland.

…

Even though he'd said they were leaving early, Sakura hadn't anticipated it being at the crack of dawn. Sasuke had one backpack but Sakura didn't know what he was bringing. Whatever it was, it sure wasn't much. She had nothing to bring but the clothes on her back, the same clothes she'd come to him in. They were clean, she would always change into something of his to wash them, or rather, wait for him to wash them. She hoped things would be different at the new place and he would let her do more for the both of them.

He said they weren't going far, so after traveling half the day, Sakura was sure they must be getting close to their destination. She was right, because they came up on a civilian village only moments later and then Sasuke explained that they were only about half an hour away.

That was with them taking their time and walking slowly. Sasuke obviously didn't want to push her. Sakura rolled her eyes at the thought of him thinking of her as a useless little girl. She wouldn't deny that there was a time she was nothing but useless, but that wasn't the case anymore. She'd worked hard to get as strong as she'd become, but Sasuke wouldn't know that if he thought the entire time she'd been dead.

"We should go ahead and buy a few things." Sasuke suggested as he led the way into the small village. There were only a few shops, all of which were in plain sight, but it was more than enough for them to get whatever they'd need.

Sakura didn't hesitate to assist with the grocery shopping. The place wasn't huge but it had quite the variety. She stocked up on fruits, vegetables, non-perishables and any odd things she could think of that would help with the preparation of meals. Sasuke was surprised by her enthusiasm, but he said nothing as she continued to shop. They ended up having a lot to carry to the new place and they were both thankful it wasn't far away.

Though she'd been expecting a place nicer than the last hideout, Sakura hadn't imagined the place would look so appealing, especially on the outside considering it was a hideout. It didn't appear to be a big place; a small stone house is all Sakura seen as she followed Sasuke up to the front door.

He had a key he used to unlock the door, just like any other regular house and yet nothing like a hideout. Sakura made no comment though as she followed him in, only becoming more surprised by the look of the inside.

It was the ideal home for any person in their day and time. It was as clean as he'd promised and fully furnished as if ready to harbor an entire family. The living room looked comfortable and homey, made in cool grays and white everything tied together nicely. There was even a TV placed on the wall right in front of the lone couch. The only other furniture was a black chair that matched the couch and a couple end tables.

The kitchen was what took her breath away. It was big and roomy, including the counter space and cabinets and Sakura was in love the moment she stepped into it. She sat the bags she carried on the kitchen table and looked around, completely dazzled by the house.

"You like it?" Sasuke asked, seeming unsure, but hopeful.

Nodding excitedly Sakura twirled around in the kitchen. "I could live here forever."

She'd stayed at many inns over the last several months but no place she'd ever been came close to this house. She loved it without a second thought and knew she could be nothing but happy in a place so nice- and with Sasuke, the love of her life at that. How would she ever escape from this dream and go back to reality?

"Good." Sasuke smirked while adding his bags to hers on the table, along with his backpack. They both proceeded to putting up the groceries together, which didn't take long.

By then it was already late in the afternoon so Sakura went ahead and started making dinner for them. A soup that wasn't complicated and didn't take long. It was tomato based, of course Sakura could never forget his love of tomatoes.

"You seem to be good at that." Sasuke noted aloud as he watched her effortlessly start the soup, adding all that she wanted along the way. There was no hesitation, as if she done it all the time.

"Well, since I've been living alone I've had to learn to cook for myself. And… I have a thing for tomatoes."

She didn't want to give herself away. She wasn't supposed to know about Sasuke, certainly not good enough to know his choice of food. "Really?" Sasuke hummed, seeming pleased by this information, though he made no move to enlighten her on his love of tomatoes. It didn't matter, she would still cook things she imagined he'd like.

While the soup cooked, Sasuke showed Sakura to the bedrooms. Though there were five rooms he told her about, he showed her first the master bedroom and then another right across the hallway. "We could use these two because they're closer together, if you'd prefer your own room. If not, I wouldn't mind continuing to sleep together like we have been."

Truth was, Sasuke had never slept better than he did when Sakura was in his bed, preferably in his arms, and that went for Sakura as well. Although she knew she should take up the offer for the separate rooms, something refused to let her.

"I'd like to stay with you." She admitted shyly but Sasuke was nothing short of pleased. He led her into the master bedroom and she loved it instantly as much as she loved the kitchen.

It was big and as spacious itself as most of the entire apartments she'd stayed in. The bed seemed huge, a king size; something she'd never seen before. There were two windows on each side of the bed and bedside tables right below them. There was a small but comfortable looking couch in one corner, a dresser and two doors other than the one leading back into the hallway. One was the closet which she noticed was filled with his clothes, and the other was a bathroom. Sakura thought it made sense that he didn't bring along much, everything he needed was already here.

The bed was made beautifully, in a white and blue quilt. The curtains matched the bedding and the walls were painted a bright white, much like the rest of the house. It was clean and smelled nice. This was nothing like that other hideout. This wasn't even a hideout, it was a house and nothing less.

"I thought I could go ahead and shower. If that's okay." Sakura mentioned to Sasuke after taking the room in.

Nodding once, Sasuke turned to leave the room. "Feel free to do as you like, make yourself at home. You can use whatever of mine you like until I arrange to have you some more clothes."

"Thank you very much." Sakura smiled after him even though he couldn't see her and when he was gone, she wasted no time finding her some of his clothes to put on.

His undershorts weren't too revealing being that the shirt she chose was so long it came nearly to her knees. The shower had been refreshing and once she was done, she eagerly went back into the kitchen to check the soup.

She found Sasuke first though, clumsily colliding straight into him when he popped out of a door and strolled into the hallway right in front of her. She gasped loudly as she came in contact with his naked chest. The smell of body wash and shampoo coming off of his already delicious scent overwhelmed the girl. She may have felt the blood rushing to her cheeks but she was so taken aback that she couldn't react, not even to move and so she just stood there, her hands on his bare chest, her body pressed all too firmly against his. He smelled so good, she never wanted to move.

Cocking his head to the side, Sasuke gave her an amused, knowing look and her blush intensified. "I-I… I'm so s-sorry!" She yelled, knowing just how delayed her reaction was. She broke away from him, too embarrassed to meet his eyes and ran past him and into the kitchen to hide, if only for a moment.

Thankfully, Sasuke didn't come after her immediately and by the time she'd checked the soup and made what accommodations she deemed necessary, she had calmed down considerably. The second Sasuke returned to her side however, she was a blushing mess. He wasn't an idiot. He knew what he did to her… What he did to every woman, and she hated herself for letting her guard down like that. Of course, she hadn't intended to run into him like that but when it happened she should have acted like she had some sort of restraint at least.

Swallowing hard when she gave him a glance, she decided it best if she keep her attention of the soup and so that's what she did. "I didn't mean to bump into you like that. I should have been more careful." Sasuke told her, all amusement aside. He seemed worried now, about her feelings, and none of it was even his fault. This in turn, made Sakura feel bad.

"No, it wasn't your fault. I wasn't paying attention and I was the one who ran into you."

"Yeah… But, I should have been dressed." He sighed and Sakura's blush came back stronger than ever.

"Uh well… It's okay." Sakura laughed nervously, recalling ever so easily the look of his naked upper body. The way his bare skin felt under her touch. Oh Kami, she would never survive this.

Sasuke took a few steps towards where she stood in front of the stove, leaving only a mere foot of distance between them. "It's nothing special Sakura. I'm sure you will get used to it."

He planned on being shirtless enough for her to get used to it? The mere thought had the poor girl dizzy, but she managed to keep herself upright and maintain an indifferent façade. "That, I doubt." She said seriously, giving him a playful look that warmed him from the inside out.

"Good. I hope you don't."

Sasuke rather enjoyed getting a reaction out of Sakura. Back in the day it would have been too easy, but she was older now and she didn't have that little girl crush on him anymore. Hell, she didn't even remember having one to begin with. Still, he hoped to make her feel that way again no matter what he had to do. Sakura had always been Sasuke's, she swore her love to him too many times and if he had to do the same to bring that girl back, he would. Sometimes he really wished she would remember him, even though most of the time that was the last thing he wanted.

Sasuke had been too deep in the darkness and he'd hurt Sakura so much that he was sure if she did remember she would never be able to forgive him and because of that, he would lose her all over again. And that was something he knew he couldn't handle. He wouldn't live without her again, he would just rather die. When he thought of Sakura there was happiness and a future where his clan prospered and she helped lead that clan, but that was something he'd never be able to accomplish with any other woman. They weren't Sakura and although he hadn't realized it back then, now he knew that it had always been Sakura for him. There would never be another woman who could take her place with him.

The soup turned out as delicious as she hoped, even Sasuke thought so. They ate together at the kitchen table, making small talk, mostly about the new 'hideout'. The term was amusing to Sakura being that this place was far from any hideout she'd even seen, especially considering it wasn't even hidden.

Once she was full, Sakura quickly began cleaning while Sasuke had another bowl; his third. Sakura was thankful he enjoyed her cooking, a long time ago this was a dream of hers, one she'd forced herself to accept would never become a reality- and yet, here she was, cooking, cleaning and playing house with Sasuke Uchiha. A man she'd loved almost all her life. Even when she didn't love him or didn't want to admit her feelings, she still loved him.

"Would you like me to help?" Sasuke asked nicely as he added his bowl to the dishwater she was running. She shook her head quickly.

"No, you relax. Let me do this to repay you for your kindness."

Sasuke wanted to protest but thought better of it. As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered. He went into the living room and turned on the TV. A movie was on and he left it there though he paid no attention to what it was about, instead he thought about Sakura and how lucky he was to have her back. He had never been happier than he was then, thinking of the future they could have together.

Sakura joined him shortly, having finished her cleaning. They sat together on the couch as if they were watching the movie when really, neither of them were. They had their own separate thoughts, though they were pertaining to each other, and both of them were a little anxious because of the thoughts they were having.

"Sakura, you don't remember the leaf village at all?" Sasuke asked curiously, he'd never questioned her on the extent of her memory loss and he couldn't help but wonder what all she did remember.

"The leaf… Yes. That's where we're from right?" Lying wasn't one of her strong suits and she felt ridiculous keeping up the charade his teammates had pondered up.

He nodded, his head resting against the couch as he gazed at her. "That's right. And you haven't been back there since you lost your memories?"

She shook her head no slowly, her eyes staying trained on his. "Why aren't you there now?" She asked then bravely, earning a flinch from the boy instantaneously.

He looked away, thinking of the best way to respond to that. "I left the village a long time ago. I had my reasons and I can't say I regret it exactly, because it had to be done. But, I wish things wouldn't have ended up like they did. I wish I would have never left you."

Sakura's heartrate tripled and she stared at him with wide green eyes. "You left me?" She asked carefully, needing to know what he'd say about it.

He nodded again, though he was not happy about it. "I did. And you might not remember it, but I want you to know that I'm sorry for handling things like I did. I was foolish and young then but if I knew then what I know now, I would have taken you with me when you asked me to."

"I asked you to take me?" She couldn't help but question. She wanted to play this out. Even if she did really remember, she wanted to know what all he'd have to say.

Once again, Sasuke nodded and his obsidian eyes looked sad when they met hers again. "You cried. You tried to stop me but I just wouldn't listen and then you asked me to take you as well, but that was something I just couldn't do it. There were several reasons but I couldn't let you go rogue with me when you did nothing to deserve the title. I had to leave and I knew things would be ugly for me, I just couldn't risk something happening to you during that time and Konoha was your home. You had family. Friends. Everything you needed was right there. But, you swore that all of that meant nothing… if I wouldn't be there with you."

Sakura couldn't believe how open he was, or that he'd ever felt that way before but she said nothing, praying he'd go on- and he did.

"I was in such a dark state back then, nothing mattered more to me than acquiring power and I was so angry and foolish, I was stuck on the past and unable to realize how bright the future could have been if I would have just stayed behind in Konoha. I might not have become as strong as I am now but I would have been with you… and Naruto… and Kakashi."

Sakura grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Well, at least we're back together now, right?" She gave him a sweet smile and it soothed him instantly, he gave her an agreeing nod. "We must have been really close, huh?"

Sasuke sighed as he took in her question and watched her from beside him. "We were a team. We spent a lot of time together, almost every day. Back then you wanted more than that, but I wasn't ready. I didn't understand like I do now and I couldn't appreciate your feelings fully, but I do now. Even though you don't feel the same way, I know it's only because you can't remember. You had more love for me than anyone and you and my team were the only people I had. I was so stupid. All I did was push you all away, or try my hardest to anyway. None of you ever gave up though, you fought for me, even fighting me to try and make me realize.

Eventually, I did wake up. Things changed and I realized how wrong I'd been about everything up until then, but then I heard about your accident and I just lost it. I wanted to go back to the Leaf, but I couldn't do that with you not there. How could I, when you were the only reason I was going to turn myself in?"

"You would have gone to jail… just to come back for me?" Sakura asked, her heart feeling too full.

"It was what you wanted."

Sakura shook her head at that. "I'm pretty sure if I felt so strongly about you, I would have never wanted to see you in jail, even if it meant you were close to me."

"It was the only way. If we had any chance of being together, I'd have to face those demons and do my time. Of course, that's if they decided to let me live. If your accident hadn't happened and everyone didn't think you were dead, we wouldn't be able to be like this now. You'd have a duty to Konoha and either, you'd have to assassinate me on sight, or keep your distance, otherwise you'd go down with me."

"So, you were willing to own up to everything for us to finally be together?"

Sasuke nodded. "That's about it."

"Wow." Sakura had never imagined Sasuke would go so far for her and now that they'd had this talk, she loved him more than ever before.

"But things are better now. We can be together in peace and, away from the village so I won't have to do anything."

"But… If that's where we belong, shouldn't we go back?" Sakura asked carefully. She knew eventually she would have to go back. She couldn't say what might happen before then, but eventually her returning to Konoha was inevitable.

"It would be an unnecessary risk. Things could go bad and if they did, we probably wouldn't be able to be together."

"Is being with me that… important to you?"

"Sakura," Sasuke inhaled deeply, reaching over to caress her cheek with his hand. "You're the only thing that is important to me."

Feeling as if all her breath had been taken away, Sakura couldn't respond, instead she was stuck just staring at him in awe. Her heart felt full and she had never been swooned by words so easily before but she knew if Sasuke kept talking to her like that, she'd never be able to leave him. She loved him so much it hurt.

"I promise to take care of you for as long as you'll allow it and if one day you decide you want to go back to the leaf, I won't stop you."

"…And you won't come with me if I go?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed, his hand dropping from her face to rest in his lap. "I can't say what I'd do if things came to that. But, I hope you never make that choice."

Sakura swallowed nervously, though she didn't look away from him. "I don't want to leave you."

Her words were nothing but the truth. Even if it was in the future she was speaking of, she never wanted to have to leave him. Sasuke had left her more than once, had broken her heart, but for her to do the same to him… It would hurt her even more than it would him and she didn't feel like she'd be able to do it. She had always wanted him and being able to have a happy life with him because _he_ wanted it was like winning the lottery for her. She didn't feel like it'd be right to throw away such an opportunity. After all, her happiness should be one of her priorities. It never really had been before. She'd never truly been happy, not since Sasuke left the village so long ago. If she could be happy now, with Sasuke she just couldn't throw it away… could she?

"Then don't." Sasuke told her, his voice low and velvety. "Stay with me, forever."

Sakura said nothing but she nodded furiously and Sasuke pulled her against him, crushing her body to his in a strong embrace. Tears flooded from her eyes as she was overwhelmed with emotion. She hugged him back as she cried, unable to help herself. Sasuke whispered sweet words to her, about them and the future but the more he spoke, the harder she cried. She cried because she was so happy, ecstatic even, but she couldn't help feeling as if the moment she got comfortable, all that happiness would be ripped away from her.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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